


Touching Base

by theladyscribe



Category: Original Work
Genre: Baseball, F/F, Gen, Pitchers & Catchers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-25
Updated: 2018-09-25
Packaged: 2019-07-10 11:27:05
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 525
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15948410
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/theladyscribe/pseuds/theladyscribe
Summary: Hana finds Bethany in the batting cages after the game, wearing warm-up gear and throwing pitch after pitch at the catcher painted on the backstop.





	Touching Base

**Author's Note:**

  * For [sleeperservice](https://archiveofourown.org/users/sleeperservice/gifts).



> Dear sleeperservice, this wound up more gen than explicitly femslash, but I hope you enjoy it anyway. <3

Hana finds Bethany in the batting cages after the game, wearing warm-up gear and throwing pitch after pitch at the catcher painted on the backstop. Hard pitches, too: the radar gun reads 84, 80, 81.

"Hey," Hana says, leaning on the metal cage and peering in. "Coach know you're in here?"

Bethany's next pitch slams into the faux catcher's chest. 86. She glances at Hana and picks another ball from the bag by her feet. "Does it matter?" she asks before making her throw with a grunt. It veers wide, thudding against the wall far to the left of the strike zone.

"It does if you blow out your arm and can't make your next start."

"Like I'm getting another start after that shitshow." Bethany throws another pitch. The radar gun reads 75 this time. She turns toward Hana. "Five runs on nine hits, Yamamoto. Four innings pitched. I'll be lucky if they only relegate me to the bullpen after that performance. Hope you enjoy having a single on the next roadie. I'll think of you while I'm busing from Norfolk to Atlanta."

"They're not gonna send you down for one bad night," Hana says, taking the pause in Bethany's drill to let herself into the cage.

Bethany scoffs and picks up another ball but doesn't turn to face the backstop. "Easy for you to say. Not all of us get to be two-time all-stars by twenty-four."

"Even two-time all-stars have bad nights," Hana says, stepping closer. "And even if we didn't, not all of us can throw a 90-mile-per-hour fastball."

Bethany steps back, as if preparing to test her throw again. "I'm not there yet."

"No," Hana says, stepping into her space again. "But you will be. If you don't shred your elbow trying to get there when you should be resting." She holds out her hand for the ball. Bethany hesitates, but she hands it over. Hana drops the ball, letting it roll off the pitching mound. She catches Bethany's wrist and pulls her close. "It's one bad night," she says again, brushing her thumb over the calluses on Bethany's palm. "We both made mistakes. If I'd not botched the attempted pick-off in the third, we'd be out celebrating victory."

"Maybe," Bethany says. And then, "You really think I'll get my fastball up to 90?"

Hana nods. "I'm sure of it. You're not far from it now. Just gotta take it easy, give yourself a chance to recover. Now c'mon, Sanders. I'm starving. What do you say we go to the diner on Main and get pancakes?" She starts for the gate, still grasping Bethany's hand.

Bethany doesn't move with her, and Hana looks back at her. She's staring at the backstop again, doubt still on her face.

"Hey," Hana says, shaking her wrist. "I mean it. You'll get there."

Bethany stares at the backstop for a moment longer and then nods once, decisively. "Yeah, okay." She looks down at their joined hands and then up at Hana. "Pancakes, you said? Can we get them to go?"

Hana smiles. "Sure, if that's what you want."

"Yeah," says Bethany, squeezing Hana's hand. "It is."


End file.
